Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-04-09
THE FLOWERY FESTIVAL
The Glad Feast Which Falls To-
morrow.
Easter, Its Origin and Early and
Modern Observances and Celebra-
tions---1he sir knights Service
Anthems Of Joy.

Tomorrow will be Easter flowery, 10Y
Gus Easter, one of the most important
festivals in the church calendar vet no less
Important to the wcarcr of the new
spring bonnie: for the first time Easter,
especially when it comes as late in the
season as it does this year. has been
liked by habit as the initiatory occasion
OF new spring clothes, aud there are
great many who would neglect religious
devotion entirely rather than appear in
the winter worn bonnet on E .ster morn.
Easter is beautiful festival, one on
which the churches are adorned with all
| the inlmitable lovellness of nature, and
carols of JOY aud praise ring ont
IN fitting and happy recognition of the
day
Easter is the Christian passover
| Or the festival of the resurrection of
Christ. The English name is probably
derived from that of the Trutonic god
dess OF Spring, Ostera or Eoslre. whose
| festival occurred about the same time of
the year as the celebration of E1ster.
Both the eastern and western churches
from the beginning distinguished a two
fold event In the Easter enumeration,
the Staying of the Lamb of God" and
his resurrection; hence the terms in their
Iiturgies, paseha cruci fcttonjs and pascIa
resurrection is the APOSTLE Paul having
called Christ Our Parsch," and the dis.
Junction between the day on which Christ
died; and that on which he crosse again had
not little TO do with the E ,ster coutro
vtrsy IN tle early church originating a
difference Of custom with regard to-
the day of the week aud the
DAY Of the month on which
Easter should he celebrated As the
Christians held that Christ the true
parChal lamb. had been slain on the
very day when the Jews in celebration OF
their passover inundated the tirurative
lamb. So both 10 the east aud in the west
those who believed the Christian passover
to be a communication of Chris,s death
adhered to the custom of holding the
Easter festivities On tie day prescribed for
the Jewish parCh. Now AS the Jews
celebrated their passover on the 18th day
of the first month that is to say, he |
l4th day either falls on or next follows |
the day Of the veTnal equinox. all chris |
tians who persisted in following this Gus |
tom III the celebration of Easter. came to |
be called fourteenth day men," or |
"Judlasing Christians. The great ma
Jolty of Christian churches attaching |
most Importance to the day of Cnrists
resurrection which was the first dsy of
the week. held to Casters being aelsbrat-
Ell on that day. and on the Sunday FOL
lowing the 14th day of the month of
March, the day on which Christ suffered.
This question, is one of custom, aud local
discipline IN the beginning had gwen So
much trouble that the Pope was in lJS
consulted Is to how to heal The differ
ence. A council was held ia Rome in
consequence, When the present manner of
celebrating Easter WAS Affirmed Years
after, however, the discussion AGAIN arose,
and councils held in Gtul, Portus. Osro-
enc, Achata, Rome aud other countries,
decided fixing the feast of Easter on the
Sunday Immediately following the 18th
day of the March moon TIE matter
was again brought before the council of
Nice in 325, and the question fully dis,
cussed, and finally settled for the whole
church by adopting the rule which makes
Easter day TO he always the first Sunday
after the full moon, which happens up
on or next after March n. and if the
full moon happens on Sunday, Easter
day is the Sunday ailcr By this ar
Easter may come rs carly rs
March %, or as late as April -.
MODES of CELEBRATION
This sacred festival has been termed
the queen OF festivals; il has been obs